HALIFAX will look to put their Challenge Cup exit behind them as they take their first step on the road to retaining the Northern Rail Cup.
The holders, who beat Featherstone Rovers 21-12 in last year’s final at Blackpool, face West Yorkshire neighbours Dewsbury Rams in a tie that will be televised on Premier Sports tomorrow night (7.30).
Coach Karl Harrison was sure his players would be up for the clash at the Tetley’s Stadium after their 28-12 Challenge Cup reversal at the hands of Kingstone Press Championship rivals Sheffield Eagles.
“It’s their trophy and they’ll want to keep it,” said Harrison of his players. “Hopefully we can get a few people back on the field.
“We are extremely light on numbers at the moment.
“But that’s not an excuse for our Challenge Cup exit, we still had enough people out there to do a job.”
The Halifax coach has to continue without loose forward Luke Adamson, who has a broken hand, but the return of former Huddersfield player Iain Morrison, which was still on hold for the Sheffield game, could be on.
The former Hull KR, London and Widnes player has been sidelined for 12 months after undergoing micro-fracture surgery on his knee.
The 2013 Northern Rail Cup final will take place at Halifax’s home The Shay, on Saturday, July 20, when the match forms part of a double-header that also features the first Northern Rail Bowl – a final contested by the two leading Championship I clubs from the competition's group stages.
